Cheapass science – 10 lab tips for the Amateur Chemist

Cheapass science – 10 lab tips for the Amateur Chemist

Joseph Elsbernd

Make magazine has an article up with 10 useful tips for the lab. The tips cover things like sand baths, easy desiccation, and uses for plasti-dip. One such tip (quoted below) suggests Holding Stir bars with a magnet while pouring.

Stirring solutions on a magnetic stirrer is one of the most common things you do in a home lab, and it’s usually followed by pouring that solution. Having the stir bar pour out with the liquid is a bit annoying, but easy to fix. Use a magnet to hold the bar to the bottom of the beaker and the problem is solved. Powerful and small magnets can be taken from old or broken hard drives, and are very effective for this.